Friday, January 9

Apparently an antique shop in France is called a brocante. I recently discovered this little Japanese published Paumes book at Kinokuniya Bookstore in San Francisco's Japantown, entitled Paris Brocante, and knew instantly I must have it. I don't know when my next trip to Paris might be, considering this economy, but it's a nice visit to dream about and this little book takes you on a visual tour of lots of little Paris brocantes, markets and shops specializing in vintage and antique wares.

Paris Brocante is also written in Japanese, so I can't read it, but I do like to look at all those many pretty pictures. Fortunately, the shop names and addresses are all listed, so should lucky you be making the trip to Paris soon, you will be able to locate the over 45 shops and markets listed in the book. I've listed the Paumes ISBN number below should you like to find and order Paris Brocante online.

15 comments:

I recently moved from Paris to the West Coast with lots of lovely things from the brocantes. =) What a great subject for a Jeu de Paumes book. Have you seen "Ma deco a Paris?" It's my favorite of the series.

I will tell ya' what, Victoria... those French really seem to be getting things together in the style department, huh? Now if they could work on their food, fashion, art, & architecture...they might really get something going on! But all things in time, right? ;)

What a lovely book!It's not exactly like being in Paris, but there is a store in Healdsburg (about an hour and fifteen minutes or so north of San Francisco) called Olive Leaf, which carries many items straight from French flea markets. I went yesterday for the first time and came home with some handwritten French letters dated 1807, antique French postcards, antique keys, and a few other things. The shop also carries eco-home products. I highly recommend a visit if you are in the area!

I love hitting brocantes in France. They seem to use the term fairly loosely though and brocante can also mean a consignment store or any retail location selling used furniture. Many are kind of dumpy but you can often find the best deals there. My favorite though are "vide greniers"--which are large tag sales. It means to "empty your attic". Not quite a flea market, but I guarantee you that many vendors shop at vide greniers and then sell the items at Clignancourt or Marches aux Puces. They are the best!

I adore that bookstore in Japantown...it's the only place I have EVER found a copy of the magazine Street. I also bought one of the books in the Parisienne series, mine is on interiors. So fun to finger through it and get inspired...